Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hellofaniceguy]

For those of us who are fans of James Brown.....his songs will carry on forever.
Even at 73 years old....he could still carry a tune and had the moves!



ATLANTA � James Brown, the legendary singer known as the "Godfather of Soul," has died, his agent said early Monday. He was 73.

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia on Sunday at Emory Crawford Long Hospital and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, he said.

Copsidas said Brown's family was being notified of his death and that the cause was still uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style.

If Brown's claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.

"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. "To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close."

His hit singles include such classics as "Out of Sight," "(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Say It Out Loud � I'm Black and I'm Proud," a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride.

"I clearly remember we were calling ourselves colored, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black," said in a 2003 Associated Press interview. "The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society."

He won a Grammy award for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (best R&B recording) and for "Living In America" in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He was one of the initial artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers.

He triumphed despite an often unhappy personal life. Brown, who lived in Beech Island near the Georgia line, spent more than two years in a South Carolina prison for aggravated assault and failing to stop for a police officer. After his release on in 1991, Brown said he wanted to "try to straighten out" rock music.

From the 1950s, when Brown had his first R&B hit, "Please, Please, Please" in 1956, through the mid-1970s, Brown went on a frenzy of cross-country tours, concerts and new songs. He earned the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business."

With his tight pants, shimmering feet, eye makeup and outrageous hair, Brown set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.

In 1986, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And rap stars of recent years overwhelmingly have borrowed his lyrics with a digital technique called sampling.

Brown's work has been replayed by the Fat Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy and a host of other rappers. "The music out there is only as good as my last record," Brown joked in a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"Disco is James Brown, hip-hop is James Brown, rap is James Brown; you know what I'm saying? You hear all the rappers, 90 percent of their music is me," he told the AP in 2003.

[uberscheisse]

wow. as if christmas didn't suck already.

[jinju]

what songs? His "music" if we can call it that was just a bunch of goraning, repetive chanting and ZERO melody whatsoever.

[SarcasmKills]

[magpie]

Goodbye to a gifted artist. Mr. Brown left the world a better place and will be remembered for all time. "Watch me now!..". R.I.P.

[huffdaddy]

His last reported words: "I don't feel so good."

[hairy sue]

One of the best. He was a fantastic artist. His work influenced the Jamaicans that went on to inspire rap/hip hop in New York.

[hairy sue]

[ernie]

hey jinju, lemme hear some of YOUR music... you certainly talk like someone who's produced a catalogue of hit songs... put up or shut up... i understand YOU don't like james brown, but that doesn't mean HE sucks...

[SarcasmKills]

People, it's his opinion.. let him have it.. you can disagree with it (as I do) but don't crucify the guy..

just because someone dies doesn't mean we have to pretend to have liked them..

I think Tupac and Biggie and their music is all crap... just because they're dead doesn't mean one should change their opinions of them or their music..

[SarcasmKills]

.. and for the record.. James as a person wasn't exactly a shining example of human kind.. let's be honest here...

[twg]

[Qinella]

Haha Jinju saying James Brown's music was crap and anything with samples isn't music. That is hilarious in so many ways.. Truly revealing of a boorish hick, as was said. Nice Big Mac logic, buddy. I'm surprised the Brookings Institute isn't beating down your door to get at your brain power.

[Satori]

Mr Dynamite will live on in the hearts of funky people till the end of time...

And "little people" talking about "no melody" just don't get it, and if ya don't get it, forget it! Which is something James himself might have said...

[eamo]

James Brown gave me so much funky pleasure. He's not dead. His recordings will continue to give me funky satisfaction till the day i DIE.


A true hero. A true legend.